Reading-stand.



A. A. PILSBRY.

READING STAND.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.27, 1909.

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A. A. PILSBRY.

READING STAND. APPLICATION FILED JAN.27, 1909.

Patented 0015.4,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T1 11 TT d ANT ALICE A. PILSBRY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO HOMER C. CHAPIN AND ONE-THIRD TO HENRY K. CHAPIN, BOTH OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

READING-STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. a, 1919.

Application filed January 27, 1909. Serial No. 474,367.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALICE A. PrLsBRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Reading-Stands, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to reading stands and the like, and more particularly to those of the foldable variety.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a reading stand which will support a number of books, say three, in such manner that each may be readily referred to without shifting the stand or the books, which is so supported that the book rest may project or extend in front of a chair in a position most convenient for the reader, which is adjustable to any desired height or angle, and which when not in use may be folded up into small compass and thus readily set aside out of the way. This feature is also of value in the shipment of the device.

It is another object of my invention to provide a reading stand which will be simple of construction, economical of mann'lactnre and convenient in use.

Still further objects and advantages will appear from the following description and appended claims.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustrated one form of reading stand constructed in accordance therewith in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the stand in position ready for use; Fig. 2 is a front view of the book rest, showing the same in its collapsed condition; Fig. 3 shows the stand in its folded position ready for being put away; Fig. 1 is a cross-section on the line t t of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a plan of the rest-supporting head; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the rest-supporting pin.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a base from which extends a tubular stem 11 provided at its upper end with a clamping screw 12. A pillar, post or red 13 is mounted in the stem 11 in such manner as to be vertically movable therein. This pillar may be clamped at any desired height by means of the clamping screw 12. Mounted upon the upper end of the pillar 13 is the rest-supporting head 141 which is split at 15 and provided with a clamping screw 16 for tightening the head upon the pillar 18. By loosening the screw 16, the head let may be adjusted to any other desired height and may be turned relatively to the pillar 13 in order to bring the rests into the position required. The head 14 is formed with a lug 17 extendin laterally therefrom and formed with an aperture for receiving a pin 18 from which the rests are supported. The lug 17 is split at 19 and provided with a clamping screw 20, which, when tightened, prevents rotation of the pin 18. When the screw 20 is loosened, however, the pin 18 can be rotated in order to adjust the inclination of the rests and for other purposes to be herein after described.

The pin 18 (see Fig. 8) is provided with an extension 18 of enlarged diameter forming a shoulder which abuts against the lug 17. The extension 18 is provided with a central recess 18 the end *all of which iii'orins a stop for the supporting bar 21 which is pivoted in the recess 18" by means of a pin 22 passing therethrough. The lower corner of the supporting bar 21 forms a stop for engaging the end wall of the recess 18 and locking the supporting bar in alinement with the pin 18 when this pin is in the position shown in Fig. 8. This position of the supporting bar is shown in F 2. The upper corner of the supporting bar, however, is cut away, as shown at 21. so that when the pin 18 is turned upside-down, the supporting bar can fall into the position shown in Fig.

To each end of the supporting bar 21 is pivoted a pair of uprights 23 between which are in turn pivoted transverse bars 24, which, in combination with the uprights 23, form a rest for a plurality of books. The corresponding pairs of uprights 23 are so arranged that their inner ends are located in juxtaposition. These ends are cut away at one side, as shown at 23 in Fig. 1, and left square at the other side, whereby the up rights can be swung towardthe left, but are prevented from being turned toward the right by the engagement of the square portions of their ends. The lowermost of the transverse members 24 bent outward at its lower edge to form a book-supporting ledge 25.

It will be seen from the above, that when it is desired to put the hook-stand away, the uprights 23 may be swung toward the left when they will assume the position shown 111 Fig. 2. If the clamping screw 20 be then loosened, the supporting bar 21 may be turned through 180, whereby it becomes possible to turn it down into the position shown in Fig. 3. The topmost of the transverse bars 2st is provided with retaining fingers 26 for holding the book in use open at the required position. The transverse memhers 2d are shown to be of such length as to accommodate two books side by side, and when this is the case, a second pair of retaining fingers 26 may be provided. In this case, in order to accommodate books of different thicknesses, the fingers 26, if desired, may be so bent as to be situated at a greater distance from the rest than are the fingers 26. The connection between the fingers 26 and 26 and the transverse member 2% is a pivotal one in order that when the rest is collapsed, they may be swung into a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, or, they may be turned at an angle to better hold the pages of the books open. hen the rest is folded up and swung down, as shown in Fig. 3, one or more of the retaining fingers may be turned to engage the opposite side of the post 13, to hold the rest in folded position and prevent its swinging loosely.

To the uppermost transverse member 2st are pivoted the uprights 27 of an auxiliary book-rest. These uprights 27 are connected by pivoted transverse members 28 similar to the transverse members 24. The topmost member 28 is provided with retaining fin gers 29 similar to the fingers 26 or 26. The lower end of one of the uprights 27 (shown as that 011 the right hand in Fig. 1) abuts against a stop 30 secured to the member 2% and is thereby prevented from being swung toward the right. The lower corner of the upright is, however, cut away in a similar manner to the portion 21 of the supporting bar 21 which enables the auxiliary rest to be swung toward the left and thereby collapse. The transverse member 2 1, to which the uprights 27 are pivoted, is provided with an outwardly extending hook-supporting ledge 31.

The supporting bar 21 is provided at the rear of its center with a socket 32 which may be used when it is desired to support the rest, for one reason or another, at its center. This socket is so made as to fit easily upon the upper end of the pillar 13. hen it is desired to support the rest in this manner the pin 18 is withdrawn from the head 14 and the latter is moved a short distance down the pillar. The socket may then be placed over the upper end of the pillar with the effect that the rest is pivotally supported at its center upon the pillar.

It will be readily seen that three books may be supported upon the stand in such manner as to be consulted side by side in a convenient manner, while if it is desired to use only two, the auxiliary rest may be col lapsed and will then be out of the way. In the use for which this stand is more par ticularly designed, it is desired to support two books of ordinary size side by side on the main lower rest, and a small pamphlet on the upper auxiliary rest, which, for convenience, is located about midway of the length of the lower rest.

IVhen the stand is to be shipped or put away, the rests maybe very easily collapsed by a pressure of the hand toward the left, and by loosening the screw 20 it may be turned and brought into the position shown in Fig. 3 when the whole stand occupies very little space. The rests may be easily adjusted vertically by loosening the screw 12 and their inclination can be altered by loosening the screw 20 and turning them to any desired extent.

In the construction as thus described, the book-rest while supported independently at the side of a chair will project or extend over the same in front of one sitting in the chair and the hooks and pamphlets are then placed in a convenient position for ready reference and reading. At the same time the stand is conveniently and easily adjusted and manipulated by the user.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a reading stand, the combination with a main rest to accommodate two books side by side, of an auxiliary rest for a single book or pamphlet secured to the main rest and supporting its book or pamphlet adjacent the two books in substantially the same reading plane and midway between them, and a standard for supporting said main rest adjustably attached to one end thereof, substantially as described.

In a reading stand, the combination with a main rest to accommodate two books side by side, of an auxiliary rest for a single book or pamphlet secured to the main rest and supporting its book or pamphlet adjacent the two books in substantially the same reading plane, and a support hinged to said main rest in such manner as to limit the swinging movement of said main rest in one direction.

3. In a foldahle reading stand, the combination with a collapsible main rest to accommodate two books side by side, of a collapsible auxiliary rest for a single book or pamphlet secured to the main rest and supporting its book or pamphlet adjacent one edge of the two books, and a lateral hinged support for said main rest to sus tain the two rests horizontally when expanded for use and to permit the same to hang vertically when collapsed and out of use.

4t. In a. reading stand, a main rest consisting of a supporting bar, and two pairs 7 of uprights pivotally connected therewith and extending in opposite directions therefrom, a plurality of transverse members pivotally connected at their ends to said up rights, and an auxiliary rest carried by said main rest, said auxiliary rest consisting of uprights pivotally connected to one of the transverse members of said main rest and transverse members pivotally connected at their ends to said last-mentioned uprights.

In a reading stand, a main rest consisting of a supporting bar, a pair of uprights pivotally connected thereto, transverse members connected at their ends to said uprights, means for limiting the turning movement of said uprights in one direction, an auxiliary rest consisting of uprights pivotally connected at their ends to one of the transverse members of said main rest, transverse members pivotally connected at their ends to said lastmentioned uprights, and means for limiting the turning movement of said last-mentioned uprights in one direction. I

6. In a reading stand, a supporting mem her a supporting pin carried by said mem her having a stop thereon, a book rest, a supporting bar for said rest pivotally connected with said supporting pin, said supporting bar being formed with a stop for engaging the stop of said supporting pin, whereby the supporting bar is held in a horizontal position, the stop oi said supporting bar being so arranged as to clear the stop of said supporting pin when said pin has been turned up-side-down and permit the supporting bar to be swung into vertical position, and means carried by said rest adjacent the center thereof for permitting said rest to be connected to said supporting member when it is desired to support the rest centrally.

7. In a reading stand, a supporting pin having a stop thereon, and a rest supporting bar pivotally connected with said supporting pin, said supporting bar being formed with a stop for engaging the stop of said supporting pin whereby the supporting bar is held in a horizontal position, the stop of said supporting bar being so arranged as to clear the stop of said supporting pin when said pin has been turned upside-down and permit the supporting bar to be swung into vertical position.

8. In a reading stand, a supporting pin having an abutment thereon, and a rest supporting bar pivoted to said supporting pin and engaging said abutment with one of its corners whereby the rest supporting bar is retained in a horizontal position, the other corner of said supporting bar being cut away so as to enable the supporting bar to be swung into a vertical position when the supporting pin has been turned up-sidedown.

9. In a reading stand, an adjustable post, a head adjustably mounted upon said post, means for locking said head in any desired position, a supporting pin rotatably connected with said head and having a stop thereon, said supporting pin being provided with a stop and a rest supporting bar pivotally connected with said supporting pin, said supporting bar being formed with a stop for engaging the stop of said supporting pin whereby the supporting bar is held in a horizontal position, the stop of said supporting bar being so arranged as to clear the stop of said supporting pin when said pin has been turned up-side-down and permit the supporting bar to be swung into Vertical position.

10. A reading stand comprising a vertical supporting member, a pin rotatably connected to said supporting member and extending horizontally therefrom, a book rest, and a hinged connection between said book rest and said pin, said hinged connection being privided with means for causing said book rest to extend horizontally from said pin when the latter is in one position and allowing said book rest to hang vertically when said pin is reversed in position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ALICE A. PILSBRY.

Witnesses M. R. RooHroRD, ROBERT LEWIS Arms. 

